Many bars play music of a type and volume to suit the girls not the customers. Two successful bars on the block do not hardly play any music at all.
Drillers Bar when I was in town blasted this techno/trance/garage or whatever it is called without even a customer in the bar.
There is room for some bars such as Click and Shots to play club type music for the young ones in town, but HH bars have a big proportion of over 50s so why not play more relaxing music at a decent level say until midnight.

In ther past girl quality of a bar was paramount for me, now I stand outside the bar and listen to how loud the music is, I hate those thump thump thump tracks, to show what I am trying to explain, I never heard Country Roads once in 6 weeks, although there are some who will say it's not a bad thing as it's been flogged to death over the years.
Happy Christmas to all HHAD members.

Gus wrote:Maybe we should get some little business cards printed (in polite Thai) that we can leave in bars with the tip when they crank the volume up, saying something like:

'Thankyou - I would stay longer if there was less noise

Or just politely ask them to lower the volume a bit so you can have a conversation, it's always worked for me on the few occasions I've needed to, only if they refuse, which is unlikely, do you vote with your feet.

This has got much, much worse over the years. Many bars just don't seem to care whether or not they get any customers as long as the girls are happy! As has previously been said, if you do manage to find a quiet bar then the noise from the bar along the street will drive you away. Police or army action must come soon. Bintebaht is getting less and less customers and it will only get worse if this goes on. The sooner the noisy bars go bankrupt the better.

I just feel sorry when a bar is trying to create a decent atmosphere and it is blasted by very loud Techno from adjacent bars.

A decade ago, high wattage amps were expensive and high wattage speakers were both expensive and bulky.

Now both are compact and far too affordable.

Yes, you can ask them to crank the music down, which they will do for maybe five minutes or so before winding it up again.

The message to drive home is that it isn't good for business.

Two seasons ago it was really bad in Bintabaht, and bars like the Romantic lost trade, even though their own music was turned off for much of the time. The start of this year was much better, but far from ideal. If it's got worse again, then we need to tell them - and keep telling them.. - that they're driving trade away..

I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly...

Four of us were in a bar on S80. Wimbledon was on and we were there to watch the tennis. We were the ONLY customers. We asked if the music could be turned off and the commentary turned on. They refused ' Customers like music" we pointed out that we were the only customers but they said--many customers come soon and want music.
We decided on an action--we all stood up, drank our beers, paid our bills and left for another bar. NO response from staff at all.
so the plan is--Don't look after the customers you have, look after the customers that you hope that you will get later.

Along with the pumping music, don't forget the TV on in the corner with the sound off that nobody ever watches...
another compulsory item in all bars/shops/offices (incl. the Teesabahn and Krung Thai Bank in Cha AM!)

“Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.”
― Frank Zappa

Music in the bars? Or music OUTSIDE the bars..because when a bar mounts big speakers with 'bass only' just inside it's doorway with both of them facing out into the Soi you know the outcome.
But..as I've always said to folk The ability to piss people off here with loud music & have no comebacks equals power,
power over others, I've witnessed this for many years now 1st hand, & I've always thought it somehow reflects on the mentality of BGs..
Also jealousy..we've had neighbouring bars giving us a hard time thanks to their cranked-up music when we've been busy for many years now..& it's still happening when a Thai is in charge.
But it only takes the Farang bar-owner to be present in his bar most of the time (& not in Europe simply sending money over to fuel the bar rental & the nightly parties that the staff throw c/o his monthly 'donations') and the scene CAN change.
I could go on, I've seen/heard it all for many years, but it all boils down to Thai mentality..or lack of it!

I was in a bar 3 weeks ago in Hua Hin and it was relatively empty, 1 other customer. A girl told me to play music, so I did, a low level and pleasant decent song.
About 2 minutes into the song the cashier came downstairs from her shower and said hello to me then immediately turned off the song that I had selected, and changed it to Selena Gomez playlist. She then sat next to me and told me how much she loves Selena Gomez.
I was polite about it and sat for 2 beers then said I'm tired and left.
Bar loses money, I drink elsewhere
I walk around town and do not bother entering bars playing loud and intolerable music.
However, if the music is decent and the atmosphere is good, the chances of me stopping for beers are decent too
But who am I to suggest good business practices for bars, I am just the customer.

It's really not just the bars that do the annoying music blaring at high levels.
In my neighborhood suburbian north of Bangkok at any given opportunity for a holiday or party there are people that will blare music, pulling speakers out to the main soi and nonstop very loud music from 8 am to midnight or later.

Christmas,Songkran, birthdays, New Years eve, I just lock myself inside and drink myself to not caring.

There is also the factor of the vehicles that pass by regularly with muffler holes, loud car stereos, and the teenage freshie boys who have no concept of noise levels

As far as bars go, I am a low voiced individual and I do not raise my voice, so I won't go in any bar that has loud music.

I've been visiting Hua Hin for more than 10 years and for annoying noisy music in bars it never seemed as bad as it seems to be now.